In throwing open the floodgates to uncontrolled campaign spending with their infamous Citizens United ruling, conservative activists on the U.S. Supreme Court put it all together: Shrouds of secrecy, torrents of televised mud-slinging, and a relentless march of billionaires and multi-millionaires.

"The appearance of influence or access, furthermore, will not cause the electorate to lose faith in our democracy," U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the 5-4 court majority.

Bullpucky from a former beer industry lobbyist!

Kennedy and the brethren took it upon themselves to overturn precedent dating back to the 1907 Tillman Act, a Theodore Roosevelt-driven law designed to stem corporate corruption of American politics.

Just look at what Citizens United did in the 2010 election, and what we are beholding in the 2012 presidential race. Some examples: